Nigeria Premier League

Table Tennis: Egypt Shocks Nigeria To Pick Paris 2024 Olympic Games Tickets in Tunis

Egypt swept up the tickets at stake for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games after beating Nigeria in the final of the team event at the 2023 ITTF African Championships taking place in Tunis, Tunisia.

The Egyptian ladies were the first to pick their ticket as they handed out a 3-0 defeat to Nigeria in the final.

From the start of the tournament Nigeria and Egypt remained unbeaten as they maintained their 100 per cent record without dropping any set.

But in the final, it was the Egyptians who dominated with Dina Meshref, Hana Goda and Marwa Alhodaby beating the trio of Fatimo Bello, Offiong Edem and Olufunke Oshonaike.

The one-sided encounter once again witnessed the dominance of Egypt in the continent as the North Africans qualified for their third consecutive Olympic Games at the expense of Nigeria.

An elated Goda said she was happy that they claimed the sole ticket while hoping that the Egyptian team would claim more medals at the continental showpiece.

The men’s final was well contested by Egypt and Nigeria but the Egyptians came out victorious with a 3-1 win.

With the conclusion of the team competition, all eyes are now fixed on the mixed doubles event where another Olympics ticket is at stake.

Meanwhile, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) have commended the Tunisia Table Tennis Federation (TTTF) for the excellent job they have done hosting the ongoing 26th ITTF African Championships.

The global and continental bodies showered the accolades on the TTTF at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the ATTF held on Thursday, September 14, 2023 in Tunis, Tunisia.

The TTTF was adjudged the most active member association in 2022 for its superb staging of several ITTF and WTT tournaments coupled with the performance of Tunisian players in global competitions.

Speaking on behalf of the ITTF, Executive Vice President of the world table tennis ruling body, Prof. Alaa Meshref, declared: “We are impressed with what Tunisia has put up in staging the African Championships. Their professionalism coupled with organisation has made the tournament one of the best to be staged this year.

“There is no doubt that Tunisia has gained from their experience of hosting several WTT events in the last two years and this is manifesting in their performance in hosting this tournament. The quality of organisation has raised hope for Africa to host top-level tournaments. Coming from the success of the World Championships in Durban, South Africa, Tunisia has shown that this kind of organisation would serve as a catalyst for Africa to be considered as a good host in future events.”

Similarly, ATTF President, Khaled El-Salhy was full of appreciation to the Tunisians for their warm reception and a hitch-free tournament.

El-Salhy urged other African nations to take a cue from the Lotfi Guerfel-led TTTF in terms of staging world-class competitions.

Nigeria Premier League

Rangers’ Coach Rues Defeat At El-Kanemi, Says My Boys Lost Concentration When It Mattered

Rangers International FC’s coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu, attributed his team’s 2-1 defeat to El-Kanemi Warriors FC in Maiduguri on Wednesday to lapses in concentration within his defence.

The NPFL matchday 21 clash saw El-Kanemi secured the win at the El-Kanemi Stadium, Maiduguri.

Ilechukwu, who also serves as an assistant coach for the Nigerian national team, acknowledged his players’ overall performance but highlighted two critical moments of defensive inattentiveness that allowed El-Kanemi to score.

He expressed confidence in the team’s ability to bounce back, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a positive mindset and focusing on future achievements.

He described the current situation as a temporary setback and reassured fans that Rangers would soon return to winning form while urging his players to remain confident as they prepare for their next game against the high-scoring Ikorodu City.

El-Kanemi’s goals came from Nasiru Salihu, who scored in the 18th and 73rd minutes. Isaac Saviour scored the lone goal for Rangers in the 63rd minute.

Despite Rangers’ efforts to equalize, including the introduction of former World Cup star Michael Uchebo, El-Kanemi’s goalkeeper, Abine George, made crucial saves in extra time to secure the victory.

The win moved El-Kanemi Warriors into 4th place on the league table, while Rangers dropped to 6th.

Rangers will face Ikorodu City, who are currently 5th with the same number of points, at home on Monday, February 3, 2025, at 4:00 pm at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.

Nigeria Premier League

Ogunmodede reflects on Emo Stars’ win over Abia Warriors

Emo Stars technical adviser Daniel Ogunmodede admitted his side was fortunate to secure a 3-2 victory over Abia Warriors in Ikenne on Wednesday.

Abia Warriors took a 2-0 lead in the first half, with goals from Ayodele Eziekel and Anthony Ijoma. However, Emo Stars responded with three goals from Olamilekan Adebayo, Jabbar Malik, and Franck Mawuena to clinch the win.

Ogunmodede acknowledged that his team had underestimated their opponents but managed to turn things around. “The game was tense and shocking in the first half on our home ground. Not every time you will be lucky against a great team we played against,” he said in the post-match interview.

“We underestimated the qualities of our opponent, and we were punished for it. But luckily, we identified the problem and readjusted to get the victory.”

Emo Stars will now aim to build on this win as they continue their campaign

Nigeria Premier League

Kano Pillars eye maximum points in midweek showdown with Ikorodu City

Kano Pillars are determined to secure all three points in their upcoming fixture against Ikorodu City in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

The Sai Masu Gida will face Ikorodu City at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos on Wednesday.

Usman Abdallah’s side is upbeat and focused ahead of the match, with the players in high spirits.

“Done and dusted with the shake-ups ahead of our NPFL25 Matchday 21 clash against Ikorodu City this Wednesday at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos,” Kano Pillars wrote on X.

“The boys are in high spirits and determined to secure maximum points as we aim to continue our impressive run this season.”

Kano Pillars currently sit in eighth place on the league table with 28 points.